Solace
by Dove of Night
Summary: Conclusion to the Dark, Silence Duo. The group begins their new lives, persued by the syndicate. As time marches on, new changes bring about large problems. KK, AM, SM New Chapter!
1. Shining Star

A/N: Hello, loyal readers! Welcome to the final installment of the Trilogy! Maybe when I finish this, I can finally focus on my other fics (Before the fans of those hurt me. Lots. Heh) and even work on my originals a bit. –grin-

_The Story To Date:_

_Kamiya Kaoru was kidnapped in the dead of night by Himura Battousai in her mansion. She was held captive in his apartment, where she tried to attack him with knives, and showed herself to have not only Disassociative Identity Disorder, but Leukemia and a wickedly abusive father. Battousai took a strange liking to her, which Sagara Sanosuke – the Syndicate's resident brawn, noticed. Sano ended up being shown as Kaoru's old babysitter._

_Finally, they met the leader – Seijirou Hiko. He ordered Kaoru killed, but Battousai found himself asking for her. Generally meaning that in Syndicate terms, she's bound to him, much like a priceless bracelet. Literal translation: HANDS OFF._

_Kaoru's Leukemia flared, and they were forced to find a bone-marrow donor. Luckily, Kenshin was a match and without hesitation gave the bone marrow that saved Kaoru's life. But the badness didn't stop there._

_Fist Hiruma Gohei tried to assault her, but Kaoru managed to scream and Kenshin cheerfully showed the shiny side of his sword off._

_Soon after, Makoto Shishio attacked. He kidnapped Kaoru, and cut her to ribbons with his knives. But Kenshin found them due to a tracking device placed by Megumi oh-so-skillfully during the surgery that saved Kaoru. He whooped up on Shishio until said bas guy took a hike for later plot-development._

_Kenshin found out about Kamiya Koshijirou's twitchiness and the fact that Kaoru was adopted. That was when he thought he killed off Koshijirou and ended up adding Soujiro to his circle of friends._

_Soon after, they were ordered by Nobuhiro Watsuki to infiltrate a highschool and get some informational-file-things for the Syndicate. The math teacher found Kaoru snooping and almost shot her, but Soujiro stepped in and killed the man, then placed him in the ceiling and took Kaoru with him to a tea-shop, where they discussed, and Kaoru was informed that not only was her last name truly 'Agarais', but Soujiro was in her older brother._

_Sano and Kenshin found the body and general badness ensued. When they were all reunited, general normality was restored peacefully. However, when Kaoru was grilling Soujiro for answers and Sano was out keeping himself amused, Kenshin went and killed. But when a droplet of blood found it's way to his lips, Battousai shattered Kenshin's control and brought himself into power._

_At that point, he tricked Soujiro into leaving and forced Kaoru to accept himself and Kenshin as one entity – one entity she trusts. However, just before he tried anything funny…Aoshi and Sano burst in, announcing a syndicate war._

_Kaoru was freed to go after Misao and the pair drove to the Akabeko. There they fought with Henya and started to fight Kamatari. But their attention was drawn by the battle. _

_Then Kaoru saw Kenshin fall, got snatched by Saitou. However, Kenshin wasn't dead and killed Shishio by cleaving him. War over. Kenshin wins. _

_And then he followed Kaoru and found her and Misao. And Koshijirou. He tried to make Kaoru balk, but instead she switched personalities and became Akuma, pretty well telling him to go boil 'imself._

_And then they found out Soujiro was in a box. They saved him, and ended up with Tsubame as well._

_Kenshin went on a bit of a memory kick…and then Saitou ended up being a good and friendly-ish guy._

_Finally, Kenshin was ordered by Hiko to kill Kaoru. He ALMOST did as he was ordered, but luckily enough Kaoru had the sense to just grab him and kiss him, thereby snapping him into reality._

_Nearby, Soujiro and Tsubame had gone to see 'Finding Nemo' and on their way back, Tsubame got overeager and ran ahead, right into the path of a van. But without hesitation, Soujirou dove forth and pushed her out of the way, taking the attack head-on himself and dropping to the ground, cracking his head hard._

_The paramedics came and pulled Soujiro out of the street and into the hospital. Sano called Kenshin and Kaoru and informed them of the problem, and both went to the hospital. There, Megumi began to announce Soujiro's state. Brain Dead, yes or no?_

_It ended up being a 'no', just in a coma._

_Then Jinae came and kidnapped Kaoru. Jinae was killed by a bullet aimed for Kenshin when Kaoru broke the Shino Wipou herself with pure worry for Kenshin spiking her Ki incredibly._

_They return to the hospital and Kaoru talks Soujiro out of his wicked coma._

_Then Shishio's daughter Wren is introduced, Kidnapped, and then ends up with an extreme fever and heads into the hospital. There, Enishi lets loose with some sort of evil powdered death called 'Jinchuu' that takes Kaoru – who has a slight fever, down. And nearly kills Wren and Kaoru both. So Enishi calls. And they agree to meet._

_And then Mera tries to get out, so Sano wrestles her down and convinces her that they're secret government agents and she has to stay put and not say anything._

_Enishi comes and kidnaps Kaoru in return for saving everyone with the lovely peach-blossom cure._

_Everyone follows him to an island to save her._

_They get there. Enishi attacks. Enishi beats the crap out of Kenshin._

_Kaoru gets ticked and lets loose with murderous Kurai._

_Kurai kills Enishi. They put Kenshin in the hospital. Kenshin gets all healed up._

_Kaoru gets sent to America. Soon after, Hiko follows and kills Crystal, her only friend. Kaoru immediately heads back – two years later._

_She meets up with everyone again._

_Kenshin finds out that Hiko is evil and all of the honourable stuff he was taught was a bunch of hogwash and meant NOTHING._

_Kenshin tries to kill himself. But because he's Kaoru's soulmate, can feel her anguish. So he prays for a miracle, and is sent back with a second chance. This is a lucky thing. They go out to dinner when he's released._

_Watsuki puts out a hit on Kenshin, Sano, Soujiro, and Kaoru._

_He asks Kaoru to marry him._

(Yes. I got sort of tired towards the end. Lol.)

**Solace**

**Chapter One: Shining Star**

There was an incredibly long pause, Kaoru unable to complete her sentence and the other dancers and restaurant patrons awaiting Kaoru's reply eagerly. Eventually, Kenshin got impatient.

Very gently he prodded her verbally, "You…what, Kaoru?"

Fresh tears filled her eyes. The cerulean depths clashed with many emotions; Fear, excitement, shock, pride, and uncertainty.

"Kenshin…" She began hesitantly, struggling to swallow past the sudden lump in her dry throat. Said red-head waited eagerly for the completion of her sentence. "I can't…"

His heart just about stopped in his chest. "You can't, what?" _Oh. Lovely. THAT was manly._ Kenshin's voice had not only shaken – it'd had the gall to squeak without his permission.

Kaoru immediately took pity on poor Kenshin and took his hand gently. "I can't give you an answer yet, Kenshin. I need to think about it. Is that okay?" The ex-assassin quite literally went weak with relief.

"Alright. Alright – thinking time is okay." Babbling on in that general direction, Kenshin led Kaoru back to the table where Sano and Soujiro waited with cheeky 'we-were-in-on-it' grins. The dancers returned to their business, the thrum of conversation picking up once more.

"So. Ding-ding-dong-ding?" Grinned Sano. There was a pregnant pause as the group stared at him. Two in confusion, and one in amusement.

"Idiot." Soujiro cuffed Sano in a brotherly way across the shoulder. "He means 'Dun-dum-dumdum-dun-dundundun-dum-dun-dun- DUNNN-dun-duh-dum-dum-dumdum'. Y'know, the wedding march."

"Oh!" Kaoru nodded, laughing. "I'm thinking on it."

"I see." Sano chirped. Using his spoon as a pseudo-microphone he turned to Kenshin, "How do you feel about this?"

Without cracking a smile, utterly deadpan, Kenshin regally picked up a breadstick, bringing it to his lips. "Inertia." He snapped off a quick bite.

"Ahh…Inertia?" Soujiro and Kaoru inquired at the same moment, brother and sister imparting identical looks of confusion.

Sano, privy to this joke, grinned with an air of superiority. "Inertia means 'Really nervous and hopeful'."

"What does Newton's first law have to do with nerves?" Kaoru muttered.

Hastily, Kenshin laughed and explained himself. "Well. The law states 'an object in motion stays in motion, and an object at rest STAYS at rest unless acted upon by a net force.'."

"We know the law." Soujiro took the sting out of his testy words with a gentle smile.

"Alright. The nervousness and the like, it keeps going and going without a stop, and will only stop when I'm given an answer – the net force. Got it?"

"You two are weird." Kaoru noted with a small grin.

"How did you come UP with that?" Soujiro added.

"Ahh…remember back when we were in highschool?" Some very funny looks from all present.

"…You made that up during that freaky mission?" Kaoru inquired, wanting to clarify.

"Yep!" Sano announced, punctuating his affirmative with a swig from his glass of champagne. Soujiro took a bite of breadstick, just as dinner arrived.

Dinner was a speedy affair, and after Kenshin paid for it the group headed back to the apartment. Kenshin was still trying to get used to it, Sano was aching for a good explosion-filled movie. Yahiko was there waiting for them outside of the door, not having a key.

Everyone headed in, Soujiro and Yahiko to their room, Kenshin to his, Sano pretty much RAN to his room, and Kaoru stayed in the living room for a while. After a bit, Kenshin passed by and gave a polite nod in her direction. Kaoru smiled quietly.

She wasn't just sitting, she was contemplating. Kaoru knew that the answer should be EASY after all they'd gone through together. But…she was frightened. What if she said yes, and they got married, and Kenshin got killed? He had to have tons of enemies! And with the syndicate following them…

Strands of music wafted from Soujiro's room. He was playing his electric guitar softly, the warbling and sad sound echoing in the apartment. Kaoru recognized it as 'Winter Sonata'.

'_If I don't take advantage of the time I have with the man I love, I may well lose it!_' That realization brought her to her feet. Taking off at a dead run, Kaoru sprinted up four flights of stairs and burst onto the roof.

Kenshin spun, his surprise turning to worry when he saw Kaoru hunched in the doorway, panting. The concern deepened when he saw the tears streaking down her face.

"Kaoru? What's wrong?" He asked, moving forward. Kaoru all but launched herself at him, burying her face in his chest and letting her tear-flow ebb a bit.

"I was worried!" She managed finally.

Kenshin stroked her head, confused. "Why?"

"What if you had died while I was down there contemplating?"

Kenshin got a very funny look on his face. "…that sounds doomsdayish…" He murmured, quirking an eyebrow.

Kaoru smacked his arm, "I'm trying to tell you something!"

"Oh. Right." Kenshin fell silent with a grin.

Kaoru pulled away, eyes still shining. "Soujiro was playing 'Winter Sonata' and I realized that I just COULDN'T let my love get away from me. So Kenshin, yes, I'll marry you."

The ex-assassin let out a war whoop, whipping out the ring and slipping it on to Kaoru's ring-finger in a split second.

Kaoru smiled, tears still dancing at the edges of her eyelashes.

Kenshin tilted her chin up, and pulled her into a gentle kiss that gradually grew a bit more passionate.

A/N: There you go! Chapter one wasn't horribly long, but I'm really tired and can't seem to focus right now. Sooo…yeah…the next few should be longer.


	2. Ivory Lilies, and Sapphire Ribbons

_Eep! I apologize! I really did mean to update. But I got so distracted – what with life and school and all of that nonsense that I just...spaced. I apologize. –bows lightly- I do hope that my lovely fans can forgive me?_

_And Rebuttal101, yer review gave me the swift kick in the butt that I needed. The compliment about quotes got me goin'._

_Reviews are appreciated...and might get my stupid muses to work._

_00000ooooo00000_

**Solace**

**Chapter Two: Ivory Lilies and Sapphire Ribbons**

_**Tick tock, tick tock,**_

_**Hear the clicking of the clock?**_

_**Splish splash, splish spash,**_

_**Swung his blade to earn some cash.**_

_**Eyes of blue and hair of black,**_

_**Never once did she turn back.**_

_**Onyx hair and grin of gold,**_

_**He only looks eighteen-years-old,**_

_**Spiked hair and fists of steel,**_

_**Had to work for his next meal.**_

"_One more time and you'll be dead...at least I think that's what they said...Oh-oh... Forty days won't break a man..." (Revolution Man)_

_000ooo000_

"Check." Misao announced, the corners of her mouth quirking with satisfaction.

"Mmm.I see." Aoshi kept himself impassive as he lifted his knight. Moving the chosen piece in the required 'L', aiming left, Aoshi murmured his verdict. "Check-mate."

"_What_!" Misao squeaked. Her cerulean eyes danced over the board as she studied the predicament. "Oh. In my eagerness to 'check' you I left my King wide open and played into your trap."

"Good girl." Aoshi murmured approvingly. "You're learning." He watched Misao fairly glow at his praise. The bright look on her face made the icy ninja's decision for him.

Glancing nervously around the park, Aoshi snatched a ring from his pocket. "I've never been much with the sweet-talk." He slid to his knee from the stone bench, "So. Misao Makimachi...marry me?"

The sunlight glittering from the square-cut diamond on a thin platinum band reflected in Misao's wide eyes. "I thought you'd never ask! Yes!" She cooed as he slid the ring onto her finger, tears pricking the corners of the same eyes that had been glaring daggers at the chess board a moment before.

000ooo000

Two sounds Kaoru despised waking up to: The ringing of a phone and loud talking. Both of which she was subjected to the morning after accepting Kenshin's proposal.

"**Answer the frickin' phone**!" Kaoru roared. After five seconds, no one did as ordered and the ringing continued.

Making an art form of rolling out of bed, Kaoru made a mad dash to the living room and dove to lift the receiver. "What?"

"I see you picked up Himura's greeting." Kaoru grinned at the goading, rolling her eyes lightly.

"Good morning, Misao." Kaoru sighed, flopping onto the soft couch nearest her position and cradling the handset between her shoulder and eat. Both hands free, she began to pelt Yahiko, Soujiro, and Sano with pillows to silence their incessant chatter.

"Morning? Girl, you nuts? It's after lunch!" Misao laughed before continuing, "Guess what?"

"No, no guessing games. You woke me up, YOU TELL."

Misao giggled, "Aoshi and I are getting married!"

"Married?" Kaoru gasped. "That's so great! I guess Kenshin and Aoshi were in on it together! What timing!"

"You too? That's awesome!" A rustling sound interrupted Misao. After a moment of muffled speaking Misao returned to Kaoru, "Gah, Okina wants me to practice with my Kunai. Just thought I'd call and tell ya."

"Aright."

"Seeya!" A click cut off whatever goodbye words Kaoru might have shared.

"What were you three arguing about?" Kaoru demanded as she plopped the phone back onto the charging cradle.

"Not **arguing** per se..." Soujiro responded, "_Discussing_ whether or not Yahiko can move out. Right now."

"Leaving us already?" Kaoru inquired with a grin. Yahiko replied with a shy smile, unlike any she'd expect from a kid with such an arrogant swagger.

"Miss Megumi said I was a lot of help. She's planning to open a clinic in a week or two and wants me help." He spoke rapidly, somewhat anxiously. Almost as if he expected to be ridiculed for what he wanted.

"Well. How much do you have to movie?" Kaoru inquired in a non-confrontational tone.

Yahiko visibly relaxed, "I don't got nothin' to move." He muttered, revering to brash street-talk. _This_, Kaoru had expected.

"Well then," Kaoru replied as she headed into the kitchen, "Have fun and visit us soon." Pouring a tall glass of water from the sink, she heard the door open and then close quietly, with a muffled 'G'bye' at the last moment.

Sipping her drink, Kaoru strolled through the livingroom and entered Kenshin's room. She took another sip, and then proceeded to empty the contents atop Kenshin's sleeping head.

The spluttering followed by the shattering of glass called Soujiro and Sano into Kenshin's room.

000ooo000

Kenshin released Kaoru's wrist immediately, frowning at the broken glass. "What'dya do that for?"

"One up, all up!" Kaoru rubbed her wrist and picked up the large shards of the broken glass. Kenshin stared down at her, face still clammy from sleep and cold water, hair wild and a silly look on his face.

"..." He could forumulate no reply. After a moment, he slipped out from under the damp blankets and bent next to his fiancée. "Brilliant." He sighed, helping her remove the shards of glass from the carpet.

"You're the one that went all violent." She poked him in the chest just as Soujiro and Sano barged in, looking ready to smack someone down.

"Everything okay?" Kaoru's eyes went wide and filled with tears as she knicked her palm on a shard of glass.

"I was only kiddin' and he went all mean and broke the glaaaassss!" She sobbed, dropping her face.

Soujiro gave her a brotherly hug. "It's okay, Kaoru. Shhh. You go on and clean up your hand and we'll pick up the shards."

"T-thank you..." Kaoru wailed and stood.

"I'll help her." Kenshin murmured, slinging an arm around her shoulders and taking her glass as well as his own to the trashcan by his door, slinging it in and walking out of the room.

"Blast, that hurt." Kaoru sighed, shaking her hand and sucking on her palm after they'd entered the kitchen.

Kenshin stared at her, an eyebrow quirking slowly of it's own volition. "Ummm..."

"Yes, I played 'em. I wanted to talk to ya." She grinned, eyes wide in such an innocent way that Kenshin couldn't get angry at her.

"...Sure." Kenshin sat with her at the table and checked her palm, removing the tiny shard of glass and cleaning the blood off with a paper towel. "Talk." He began the complicated process of removing the plastic covering from the bandaid. After two failed tries he finall ripped it open _without_ letting it stick to his fingers.

"Misao is getting married, too. And I wanna go and do some weddin' planning with her. Can I?"

Kenshin quirked an eyebrow as he placed the bandaid on her palm. "Um...yeah? Since when have you asked my permission for stuff like that?"

"Since I wanted to borrow your car."

"No. _GOD_ no. No in ever language I have ever learned!"

"...aren't most of those 'no's' pronounced the same?"

"Not the point. I love my car and wish to keep it for a few more years." Bad choice of words. Kenshin's karma snickered evilly and gave him a swift kick to the gut as Kaoru rose, eyes burning with righteous fury.

"Are you saying that I'm incapable of _driving_ properly?" She screeched, all but snarling into Kenshin's face.

"N-no! Never!" He replied, eyes wide and beginning to blanch.

"Then _why_ can I not **borrow your silly car**? Do you love your _car_ more than **me**?"

Kenshin knew he'd lost the argument as soon as she pulled the 'love' card. That one would work beautifully until they were married and he was willing to bet that she was well aware of that.

"..." He reached into his pocket and removed his car keys, placing them into her palm. "Have fun!" He chirped with a broad grin.

"Oh! Thank you!" Kaoru giggled and gave him a hug, running out the door after hopping into her room to grab her purse. It contained her license...Kenshin hoped... _fervently_...

000ooo000

"So, what're we doin' for Missy's twenty-first?" Sano asked companionably, to break the nervous silence.

Kenshin was sweating for his car, and Soujiro was worried that his sister's tendancies might get her arrested. Sano dropped a necklace on the table suddenly. "Ah, right. Kenshin – this is yers. Missy forgot to give it back so I promised to...and...heh...forgot."

Kenshin stared at the necklace, wincing at the memory.

000ooo000   
"Battousai, I'd like you to meet Wat-"

"_**BATTOUSAI!**" The scream broke into the quiet, polite introduction that Hiko had been busily instigating._

_Without hesitation, Battousai bowed, "Please excuse me, I have a matter to attend to." And sped from the room with demonic speed._

"_No..." He heard the very quiet whimper, and knew that there was no way for him to get into the room in time. Without hesitation he dropped into Battou-Jutsu._

"_Get back!" He shouted, not caring if the crowd heeded. He drew his sword, leaping up with an eerily cat-like agility that had been trained into him hard by Hiko. With four swift swings, he cut through the delicate floor-beam supports, bringing down a six-by-five chunk of the second floor._

_Sheathing his sword in a bare instant, he caught Kaoru and then dropped her so quickly that she never noticed he'd caught her, thereby keeping her from any real harm. Gohei landed on his feet and realized s bit to late that he'd made a grave error. Battousai kneeled next to her slowly, removing his duster and wrapping it around her, keeping his eyes on her face. _

_That taken care of, he rose to destroy the one who'd tried to take what was his..._

_000ooo000_

"...yeah...thanks, Sano." Kenshin smiled weakly, fighting back through the memories and trying to appear nonchalont. That had been a paricularly nasty one – killing a comrade. But Kaoru had been well worth it. And Gohei had been a bit of a lecherous lout, anyways.

"Birthday..." Sano prompted irritably. "Isn't there something special about her birthday?"

"Which is it?" Kenshin inquired distractedly, still staring at the pendant.

"Her twenty-first."

Soujiro leapt up, "Her TWENTY FIRST!" He shouted, eyes going wide. "I'm such a horrible person to forget! She inherits a load of money today!"

"...yeah..." Kenshin realized, an eyebrow quirking. "How would she go about that again?"

"I'll take care of it." Soujiro grinned and picked up his phone, running out of the room. After about fifteen minutes he returned, practically glowing. "The money is in an account in her name, and the house is in her name as well. The papers should arrive in a few days."

"...how did you cut through all that red tape?" Kenshin narrowed his eyes, just _knowing_ that there had to be red tape.

"Tenken cuts through red tape with a Wakizashi, of course. Not that it's a big deal. Now, lets plan a party!"

"How're we gonna do that, without a car?"

"I got a truck." Sano muttered.

"...right."

"...how does one plan a party?" Soujiro wondered.

"Do we invite people?"

"Like...?" Kenshin prompted Sano.

"Um. Aoshi, Misao...us...does she have any friends?"

"Don't look at me!" Soujiro argued, "I wouldn't know!"

"What about Wren?" Kenshin wondered.

"Don't you hate her?" Soujiro prodded.

"_I_ don't hate her, but _she_ probably hates me. And Tsubame, Kaoru loved that kid. And Jessie, of course. And...Megumi."

"...anyone else?" Sano inquired.

"I think that's the extent. She doesn't seem to full of acquaintances. I doubt her father encouraged friendship."

"...no..." Sano remembered suddenly, eyes going wide.

"No, what?"

"There's one person that Kaoru had as a friend. They were pretty close until I vanished offa the radar when Kao was seven...which was when she moved to Japan, actually, but I'm willing to bet that they would still be close if Kenshin hadn't taken her." Kenshin flinched minisculely at that.

"Oy, you saved her from insanity and her foster-dad." Soujiro comforted, patting the other's arm. "What was the girl's name?"

"Um. I'm not sure. It was...Faith...Fara...Lanna...Lisa...Laura...Ameria... hmmm..." Sano snapped his fingers, "Lina! Lina Inverse." He announced. "They were real close. And through Lina, Kaoru knew...I know these names...Xellos was one...Zelgadis...Amelia? Yeah, Amelia...Filia...Val – a guy, yep – Sylphiel...and some blonde moron named Gourry."

"That's a lot of people to forget." Kenshin chided.

"That's a lot of people in a band." Soujiro realized, face paling. "They're in 'The Slayers'. Don't you remember? That band out of Seyruun."

"...Zellas." Kenshin realized, with a strangled gasp. "Zellas Mettalium. That kid, Xellos, is the head of a huge Syndicate group. I don't want him in this house!"

"Sucks for you." Sano snapped, "This is for Kaoru, not you." Kenshin looked about ready to get very angry, but after a moment, he just shrugged nonchalontely.

"Fine." He muttered, pulling out a piece of paper and a pen, scrawling neatly:

**_Kaoru's Party Guests_**

_**-Kenshin Himura**_

_**-Sano Sagara**_

_**-Soujiro Seta**_

_**-Yahiko Miyoujin**_

_**-Megumi Takani**_

_**-Wren Makoto**_

_**-Aoshi Shinomourai**_

_**-Misao Makimachi**_

_**-Tsubame Takoro**_

_**-Jessie Shinkan**_

_**-Lina Inverse**_

_**-Xellos Mettalium**_

_**-Zelgadis Greywers-Mettalium**_

_**-Gourry Gabriev**_

_**-Sylphiel Nels Lahda**_

_**-Filia Ul Copt**_

_**-Val Agares**_

_**-Amelia Wil Tesla Seyruun**_

"Okay. So that's all?" Soujiro murmured, peering over the list.

"Yep, I think so." Kenshin glanced to Sano for confirmation.

"I don't think we can fit any more people in here." He replied with a shrug.

"Okay. I'll take those." Soujiro took the list. "And get 'em here by six."

"...in five hours?"

"Yes." He nodded cheerfully. "I think we can do that."

"I think not. The Slayers are in America." Kenshin murmured.

"Oh...that's right...can we keep Kaoru out overnight?" Soujiro whipped out his cellphone to answer Sano's question.

"Oy, Aoshi? Can you convieniently have a power outage just as the car refuses to start?" He nodded, "Mhmm. Yep. Alrighty, thanks."

"Be careful with my car!" Kenshin cried as Soujiro hung up.

"You are such a baby." Sano sighed, thumping his friend on the head. "Anyhoo, you get on getting everyone here by six tommorrow night."

Soujiro nodded and saluted. "Yessiree!" Before skipping out of the room.

Sano and Kenshin stared at each other for a moment. "...I got decorations!" Kenshin cried just as Sano was opening his mouth.

The fighter pouted as Kenshin escaped with his pen and paper.

Scowling, he muttered, "I got food, music, and the surprise part of this." He called into Soujiro's room as he passed, "Yo, Sou? Yeah, yer ta get the Slayers ta play here, got it? Good." That taken care of, he proceeded to food.

That took little time. With his fingers doing the walking and...his...mouth...doing the talking Sano came up with a catering service that would deliver snacking foods and then a large sit-down dinner for the fighter to set out as he saw necessary the next day at two. Without that Sano knew that Lina would be very dangerous and crabby. People didn't grow out of eating habits.

The food handled, Sano called Aoshi to make sure that at all costs the cold young man would keep Kaoru at his house until six, if he had to knock her out. Of course it would be better if he took the girls to a movie around four-thirty and then brought them at five, since he and Misao were on the guest-list.

That taken care of, Sano laughed evilly and headed back into the livingroom to turn the television on.

"Turn it down!" Soujiro ordered. When Sano ignored him he slammed his door shut. Kenshin just remained in his room, door open, listening to the television and sketching the layout he had planned for the party.

000ooo000

By five-thirty, Sano was on the last person he had to call. The phone rang several times before a click on the other end alerted him to the fact that his target had been reached.

"Hello?" Asked a grumpy, decidedly female voice, "It's somewhere around five-thirty in the morning. Speak quickly or be electrocuted."

"Hey, Lina Inverse?" Soujiro inquired in nearly impeccable English.

"You called me, you should know my damn name."

"Nice to meet you, too. My name is Soujiro Seta. I'm Kaoru's older brother."

This time the voice was much more alert, "Kaoru?"

"Yeah. You and she were friends when you were kids, right?"

"Yes!" The voice went up several decibles, "Gah, I thought her evil dad had killed her or sommat! How's she?"

"Getting ready to turn twenty-one. Actually, today was her birthday."

"Your point?"

"I got stuck inviting guests and you're on the list."

"That's good..." She murmured, "Where are you?"

"Kyoto, Japan."

"Right. I'll just walk on over there..." She snapped sarcastically.

"Can you get the rest of your band on the line before I discuss how to get y'all here?" He heard Lina groan pointedly.

"You people and yer demands. Fine, just a second." She three-wayed to Filia who grumpily three-wayed to Sylphiel and Zelgadis, who in turn got Gourry, Xellos, Amelia, and Val on the line.

"Hello," Soujiro called firmly to cut the chatter echoing from the eight on the phone. They settled down – except for Xellos who continued to tap cheerfully on his drums. "All of you are invited to Kaoru's birthday party. I don't care how you get here. Fly, walk, swim, whatever. But you all need to be here by six...lessee here it's five-thirty in the evening for me...so in the next eightteen hours y'all need to be here. And Sano requests that you bring your drums so you can play Kaoru some music. Thanks." Soujiro hung up before he could be shouted at for the demands he'd just made.

000ooo000

"How pretty is this?" Kaoru cooed, holding up a magazine to show Misao a gorgeous celtic wedding gown.

"Feh, this totally whoops that!" Misao countered, holding up her magazine – containing a traditional feudal kimono with long, flowing sleeves of an awesomely white color.

"...that's very pretty. But this is so much better!" Kaoru argued, flashing a victorian American hoop-dress with a bustle and all.

"Are you taking something for that MPD, Kaoru? 'Cause I think it's affecting you."

Aoshi, who was watching from a few feet away, stiffened and waited for Kaoru to get angry. To his surprise she laughed lightly, shaking her head in amusement. "Yeah, this does seem sorta Rumor-esque, doesn't it?" She replied lightly.

Shinomourai groaned quietly, and drifted over to the other unlucky husbands/father-in-laws/and other useless male parties to be. "..." He added to conversation as he took a seat, staring mindlessly at the television in perfect mimicry of the other men.

"What'cha in for?"

"The small one's gonna be my wife and the other one is gettin' married to a lucky jerk who didn't have to be here." Aoshi's head fell back, smacking into the wall. 'Blast. Not hard enough.' He tried again, but decided to forgo a third try when several dark looks were sent his way. 'For normal people, they're pretty scary during a football game.'

"So...who's playing?" Aoshi offered after a few moments.

"..." There was no reply. Aoshi was beginning to get the gist of what others felt around his cold nothingness. Maybe he'd invite all of the people he'd ever ignored to a cookout. The ninja amused himself with considerations of how much three thousand and twenty-eight hotdogs would cost. 'I'd have to start cooking like...now...' Aoshi realized, completely drowning out any external stimuli with his useless thought-process.

000ooo000

After an exhausting night in which Aoshi ran around faking electrical shortouts and car problems – ultimately being forced to verbally invite Kaoru to stay overnight, Soujiro was called twelve times by a very irate Lina ("Yes, we know you're on the way to the airport" "Yes, we'll have food waiting" "Yep, we have room for your instruments" "You want HOW much for the gig?" "Okay. Two hotel rooms. Got it" "..." "Let this end..." "GET ON THE FREAKING PLANE!"), Sano was forced to pick up the band from the airport, and Kenshin ran all over Kyoto and Tokyo searching for the PERFECT decorations...day broke.

And several new problems arose: Namely keeping Kaoru away from the party. Aoshi's problem. He wound up paying for an all-day mall adventure and three movies.

000ooo000

"Oy, You Sano?" Lina shouted, a ball of energetic red hair and bright eyes.

"None other." Sano turned to stalk away, fully expecting to be followed.

"Aren't you gonna help a lady with her luggage?" Sano turned and blinked several times at the young woman as she glared up at him, hands on her hips.

"...what lady?" Moving with a speed only Kenshin had achieved – leading Sano to wonder if speediness was a red-head trait – Lina slammed a fist into his gut and brought him to her level.

"This lady."

"Oh. Right." Sano coughed, taking her carry-on with the air of a knight.

"...bad move..." Zelgadis mentioned, coming up beside Sano, "You never wanna use that one on her. The 'Lady' thing. Silly, rookie mistake. You shall learn." That was all he had to say on the matter.

Sano glanced up at the young man – he carried many scars that the fighter recognized as chemical burns from hours of watching ER. "Yo. I'm Sanosuke, yer?"

"Zelgadis Greywers." Sano stuck out his hand, and the other gave it a firm shake with a very suspicious look.

A pair of arms, quickly followed by a body, tackled Sano. "Well hi there!" Chirped a purple-haired young man, dressed in a sharp black suit with a purple tie.

Sano frowned, dislodging himself. "I suppose you're Xellos?"

"Oooh! He's a smart one!" Xellos chirped, dancing away.

Zelgadis clapped a hand on Sano's shoulder. "Don't mind him. He's kinda nutsy around new people – it's a nervous habit of his."

"Yeah...Kaoru has that too. I know." Sano raised his voice, "SLAYERS CREW, I'M TIRED SO GET A MOVE ON!" That got them going and they followed their new chauffer out to his truck, piling in. Lina and Zelgadis rode squished in front, Xellos, Filia, Sylphiel, and Val squeezed into the back, Gourry happily lay in the back, and with some coaxing, Amelia was convinced to ride with him.

They stopped at the hotel to drop off the bags of the group, and then headed to the apartment.

"Whoooo-ee! Nice spread." Lina approved as she entered, carrying nothing but her yards of hair.

Sano paused to stare at the change.

When he'd left, Kenshin had been curled into a corner with pieces of paper and murmuring at a frantic rate to himself. Apparently the insanity had paid off.

Navy blue crepe paper cross-crossed over the ceiling, helium balloons with strands of shimmering...things dangled from them pressed against the crepe paper. The carpet was covered with glimmering gold and blue confetti. The furniture had been removed from the room, leaving Kenshin the ability to bring in three tables and enough chairs for everyone.

He'd set up a crystal punch-fountain and some snacks that he'd made himself to keep Lina occupied until the real food arrived. A fog machine set on low spilled a light mist into the livingroom, and he'd changed all of the lightbulbs to blue party-lights.

"Wow, Kenshin. Impressive work." Sano approved, peering around with thinly veiled jealousy. He'd never have come up with such a layout.

"Thanks." Kenshin replied from underneath one of the blue tablecloth-draped tables.

"...what're you doing?" Soujiro inquired, coming into the room and travelling to the table, lifting up the edge of the cloth. Kenshin was revealed then. Glitter all over his face, that shiny stuff in his hair, and bits of crepe paper glued to his hands.

"I'm setting up a sound system for while we eat." Kenshin replied like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Snapping one last wire into place he scooted out and then stood up, blinking at the new people. "Oro. Hi, I'm Kenshin..." He smiled in his usual friendly way.

"I'm Lina Inverse, the leader of this band of ingrates." Lina cheered, shaking his hand enthusiastically.

"Hi, I'm Gourry – the band of ingrates she was talking about!" No one got that, but Kenshin still grinned and shook the blonde's hand. Val, Amelia, Filia, Sylphiel, and Zelgadis proceeded to introduce themselves just as politely.

Then came Xellos. "A pleasure, Mr. Kenshin Himura. I'm Xellos Mettalium."

Kenshin stared at the proffered hand for a moment with narrowed eyes. When he flicked his gaze back up, his eyes were gold and hard. "Syndicate. Despicable."

The air went ice cold. Xellos just smiled sweetly. "Lovely, coming from an assassin."

Kenshin's jaw worked furiously against any sort of angry outburst he wanted to make. "...if it weren't for Kaoru I wouldn't allow you in here. Enjoy the privledge." Kenshin started to spin, but was stopped by a deceptively thin hand. The strong owner stopped him, and he found himself face-to-face with the scarred young man.

Zelgadis did not look happy in the least. "You want to punish him for the mistakes his mom made? Just for being BORN into the wrong family you want to judge him? Xellos nearly got killed a few years ago protecting us and many other innocents...maybe hundreds... from the Syndicate. He's perfectly honourable and right now is working to break up the Syndicate holdings and untangle the money to make businesses respectable and the money clean."

Kenshin listened to Zelgadis' rant without interruption. Until Lina interrupted for him. "If you've got such a problem, we'll just-"

"I apologize." Kenshin broke in on her words without seeming to give a thought, his eyes fading visibly back into gold. "I judged you harshly, and Zelgadis is right – it's not fair to blame you for a mistake of birth." Kenshin bowed low, and then extended his hand. Xellos laughed cheerily and shook it, his eyes closing with pleasure.

"I'm so glad we're all friends now." He paused, opening his eyes again, "How long 'till Kaoru comes?"

000ooo000

By two-thirty Sano was having an emotional breakdown. "Where's the food! The caterers are an hour late! What kind of crap-for-service is THIS?" He ranted, pacing ferociously.

"Sanosuke, chill!" Kenshin placated, listening to the Slayers set up and sound-check. "I'm sure they just got stuck in traffic.

By four O'clock, both of them were pacing frantically. Sano finally picked up the phone and called, demanding to know what was going on. Apparently, they had no record of his order.

After some screaming, ranting, begging, threatening, and bribing, Sano found himself foodless.

"Again, I save you." Kenshin joked, taking the handset and calling up the Akabeko. Within the hour the food arrived and the pair went about setting it out, working as an awesome pair.

By five-thirty, all of the guests had arrived. The snacks were out, but untouched – it was rude to eat before the surprise-ee, after all. The sit-down meal waited in the kitchen, the steak and greens succulent-looking and kept warm by a prayer and a hope.

At exactly six O'clock on the letter, the lookout (Amelia) saw Kaoru, Misao, and Aoshi heading towards the door.

"She's coming!" Amelia squealed, and shut off the lights, diving with everyone else to hide and wait for Kaoru to open the door.

000ooo000

"Open the door, Kaoru." Aoshi demanded, holding the packages precariously. They'd spent half of his fortune on clothing and accessories and other useless trinkets that they didn't need...but it made Misao glow. Then the other half on candy that they hadn't eaten, for the movie.

"...That sounds backwards." Kaoru argued jokingly, trying to figure out why she didn't see any light.

"Well, I'm holding everything and you're not. Open the frickin' door."

Kaoru laughed, and with a grin to Misao about Aoshi's apparent crabby-ness..."Okay, Mr. Cranky-pants." She opened the door.

There was utter silence in the room, excepting a strange whirring that accompanied whisps of cold air brushing Kaoru's ankles and cheeks. "Light switch...light switch...ah!" Kaoru flipped the light and started to turn, only to be frozen in place.

"**_Surprise!_**" She turned white, then slowly red, and then burst into tears.

"Geesh, when did you turn out ta be such a wimp?" Chided a very familiar voice.

Kaoru glanced up, and her eyes went wide when she saw that it really was Lina Inverse. "LINA!" She shrieked, crying harder and literally tackling her childhood friend.

"Easy, tiger!" Lina laughed, patting her friend's back from the floor, "This confetti crap is sharp."

Kaoru released Lina and then rose, staring around in wonder at all of the intricacies of the setup (thinking about how much time it would take to vaccuum the confetti out of the carpet, of course) and searching for the face she knew.

"Kenshin." She whispered, crying harder. Her fiancee came at her call. "Happy birthday, Sparrow." He whispered gently, stroking her hair and pulling her into his embrace.

A happier one Kaoru had never experienced. Surrounded by friends, family, and food (the three f's of life), she just started to cry harder, unable to come up with a proper response to the overwhelming emotions coarsing through her.

00000ooooo00000

_A/N:_

_Does this make everyone feel better? I vanished, and then came back with sixteen pages. I still apologize, but gimme some credit! I practically gave myself carpal tunnel! I promise to TRY to update more often. I really never meant to let this story whoosh so much._

_Maybe I'll be like Kaeru Shisho and update once a week, every week... leading to my next point._

_The Slayers are a walk-on from Kaeru Shisho's Seyruun High Jinx triology. I would prefer that everyone read and review THAT triology that read and review mine. You need no knowledge of the 'Slayers' series. It's awesome and well-written and one of my favorite works of fanfiction (Moonstruck and Means To And End by Aiwendil coming to a close second) so...read them._

_Now._

_Review if you feel a need._

_Thank you for reading!_


	3. Dance of Death

A/N: Heh. Heh. -cough- Um. Hi, faithful readers! 'Tis I...Doverai...the lovely one who feels awful about not posting in so long. -sweatdrop-

Kenshin: ...heh.

Doverai: As repentance, I shall spare you the drivel of excuses and just write the chapter.

000ooo000  
**Solace**

**Dance of Death**

000ooo000

The party had gone well. When Kaoru had finally calmed herself down from her fit of hysterics (caused by lack of sleep, and immense emotional turmoil), The Slayers had entertained the group throughout the night.

When the party had been ended, the group had gone sightseeing, and then returned back to Seyruun. Kaoru managed to keep from crying at Lina's leaving. However, she did promise to send the red-haired firecracker a letter a week and dozens of pictures to stay in touch.

Sano had gotten smashed - HOW he'd gotten alcohol, no one knew. But he'd consumed incredible amounts of it, and wound up entertaining the whole group with his drum set, then a dance, then a sappy love song full of words that caused most in the room to take on a cherry-cheeked expression.

Soujiro had wound up putting Sano's drums away, getting the taller to sit still during Kaoru's gifting, and even managed to get a cake in from of her.

Kenshin had been on Kaoru like white on rice all night, not leaving her side for more than a few moments, almost constantly in contact with her - her sleeve, her hand, her elbow, her back, her side, her hair, whatever was convienient. It would have been very clingy if Kaoru hadn't been so relieved that she had him.

Kaoru herself had gotten many heart-stopping shocks on one night. First, the surprise party. Followed very quickly by the realization that one of her close childhood friends had been hunted down and dragged to Kyoto with a band. The last surprise of her night - of which Kaoru was grateful, she couldn't handle many more - was the inheritance. That one sent her tingling from her nose to her toes.

There were a lot of zero's on the number she'd been given by Soujiro (who had casually added 'give or take a few'). And a whole house, out of nowhere? It was quite a lot to handle, even for one such as Kaoru, who prided herself on being quick to take in, process, and reconcile new information.

All-in-all, the group had enjoyed the night intensely. No worries, no Syndicate attacks, no Enishi, nothing at all. Absolutely blissful relaxation. So, again, the Gods grew bored of sharing knock-knock jokes and began to take an interest in shaking things up for the tight-knit little group once more.

000ooo000

"Kaoorruuu!" Called a high-pitched, somewhat annoying voice.

"Whoever that is had better look a LOT like Viggo Mortinson." Kaoru informed her pillow in her best 'You awoke me, DIE!' voice.

"Kaoru!" Misao whined, yanking the blanket from her friend's grasp and hauling her to her feet.

"...Not even CLOSE." Kaoru groaned, drooping. Misao tugged again, pulling Kaoru towards her wall-mirror.

"What does this look like?"

"...A mirror." Kaoru observed astutely.

"..." Misao rolled her eyes and jabbed at the image. "Look closer."

"It...looks like me?" Kaoru hastened to guess, trying to figure out what was expected of her. Very mildly, Misao took Kaoru by the shoulders. With less of the mildness, she shook her violently.

"DOES THIS LOOK LIKE A BRIDE!"

"No!" Kaoru gasped, the color draining from her face as she began to think frantically, her processes jumbled.

"..." Misao giggled, "No, silly, your wedding is in two weeks. But we need to prepare you now."

"Misao Makimachi needs to die." Kaoru muttered with a little twitch. Misao giggled and took Kaoru by the arm, hauling her sleep-ruffled friend to the bathroom, where she proceeded to plait the girl's black hair - it had regrown twice as long in the three years since Kaoru had slashed it off to her chin - and hand her a pile of clothing.

"Hurry up, I'm takin' you for our last bit of wedding planning."

Kaoru made a face. "...I don't wanna!"

"Do it!" Misao snarled, flames seeming to frame her. Kaoru was pretty sure she saw fangs.

"My, my, you CAN be scary when you put your mind to it." Kaoru squeaked, and hurriedly changed into her outfit for the day, donning an over-sized blue sweatshirt, bluejeans, and blue socks. Feeling very blue, she flicked her braid over her shoulder where it hung almost to her knees in a Misao-like rope, and waited for the other to be distracted before breaking with code and donning a pair of comfortable red sneakers she'd been given by one Gourry Gabriev at her party.

000ooo000

"What do you think of THIS one?" Misao offered, holding up a skimpy white dress. It lacked in the essentials: Sleeves, long skirt, and Kaoru's approval.

Misao herself had already chosen her outfit, a celtic gown - pure white, simple, plaited lightly at the skirt, high neck-line, belted with a golden chain, and (Misao's favorite feature), a long white cape with a soft cowl. Neither Kaoru nor Misao wished to stick with a traditional Japanese wedding, instead leaning for a more modern Americanized ceremony. Both grooms found this idea to be lacking - Kenshin was more than traditional, and Aoshi wasn't pleased with the idea of a tuxedo.

So they had decided to compromise. Kenshin and Aoshi were going to wear Hakama's and Haori's (To thier relief), and the girls would wear what they wanted to wear. The ceremony would be old-fashioned, but the reception would be what the women wanted. This made both parties happy.

Up until Kaoru discovered that no dresses seemed to fit HER ideal. She was modest (Despite Rumor's best efforts), and didn't want something skimpy. But nothing hit her right, even frumpy white dresses with lace all over the place and a neckline high enough to cover the mouth.

Heading from the store, Kaoru finally saw something.

It caught her eyes and latched her like a fly fisher's lure to a trout. Kaoru scampered to the dress, snatched it from the rack, and made a mad dash for the dressing rooms, Misao hot on her heels and wheedling for a view of the coveted dress.

Kaoru locked herself in, and changed quickly, tying the corset rather well for someone who'd never done it before. Of course, it was in the front which helped. Setting the skirts over the hoops and adjusting everything, Kaoru hurried back out.

Misao's expression of shock and mild disgust was evident. "What in the lord's name is THAT!"

"What?" Kaoru inquired, peering down at herself. She wore a large hoop-skirt, white tulle fabric tumbling in planned waves over the hoops to pool around her. "I like it." The sheer lace veil that attatched to faux red roses spilled down her back, stopping just past her tiny waist. The fitted bodice only made her appear more tiny and fragile. Short white kid gloves decorated her tiny hands as she gestured at Misao, "You just don't like me to make decisions!" She huffed, and spun - glad that her dress was pre-1870's, or she would have had the mother of all trains to contend with.

"Oh don't be so touchy." Misao snapped, yanking Kaoru back and giving her a hug - somehow not being killed by the hoops of the skirt in the process. "I love it on you."

Kaoru's ruffled feather's smoothed instantly and she preened, pleased by this new development.

000ooo000

Sano flipped another card on the deck, frowning in confusion at the guy on the throne. Another card brought out something with coins. "We're in for a trip." Soujiro sighed, "The signs are pointing that way." The seven arrows came next. No one had known Soujiro was a tarot reader, but he'd whipped out a deck and told Sano to start flipping.

"We're all going to die, our remains are going to be buried in a cave deep in canada, and the Syndicate is going to take over the world."

"God, Kenshin, you're such a PESSIMIST!"

"No. I'm a disasterist. There's a difference between being a disasterist and a pessimist. Learn it." Kenshin shot back.

"He's got a point." Sano snickered, "Kenshin here likes to come up with THE worst case scenario, because he figures if it happens, he's prepared, if it doesn't...whatever happened wasn't as bad as he'd thought it would be." Soujiro took a second to sort through that before rolling his eyes and shrugging.

The phone rang. Sano, the closest, reached out and snatched it up. "Hello?"

"We're watching you." Sano stiffened, his hand never pausing as he flipped over another card...Death. "Don't bother looking, we're not watching you where you can see us. Be at Kaiyman's Reach by midnight, and we'll end this once and for all. Don't show, and we won't give you a second chance."

Sano never did get that. If they thought they were going to win, why bother wasting time? Just shoot them all and be DONE with it already. "Sorry, Lu Mei isn't here - you've got a wrong number. No, it's okay, no harm done. Good night, then." Sano hung up the phone and shrugged, "Wrong number. It's almost fun when the people get all flustered about it. Like they broke your heart by calling you. Heh." That done, he rose.

"Where you headed?" Soujiro grilled.

"I'm off to go find five coins, seven arrows, a King, and a skeleton." Sano replied impishly, before vanishing out the door.

"Come back alive!" Kenshin hollered.

Soujiro poked him and offered the deck. "Try your fate?"

"Sorreh, kid - I make my own fate." That done, Kenshin rose and vanished from the room.

"I'm sure you do." Soujiro muttered, shuffling and drawing for the wedding. Surveying the turn, he sighed, "I sure hope you do."

000ooo000

Kaiyman's Reach. The last time that Sanosuke had been there, he'd been in highschool trying to get lucky with the ladies. Now he was there trying to get lucky with fate. Did his drawing the death card mean that he was to die, or he'd be doling it out?

For another ten minutes, he waited. Finally, a lucky break hit him. Right in the stomach. In the form of a well-placed Nun-chaku attack.

Sano, not one for weapons, decided to make an exception and went with the hit, rolling into a tree and reaching up to snap off a large limb. Breaking off excess, the fighter used his crude Bo staff and went after his attackers. A few well-placed blows to knee-caps, throats, and skulls ended the fights quickly and efficiently.

Finally, only one concious man remained at Sano's mercy, on the ground with the staff pressing threateningly into his larynx. "You tell Hiko, Watsuki, whomever sent you..." Sano made eye contact to be SURE his message was getting through, "That if they try to hurt me or my family again, I will go directly to the source and slit Watsuki's throat my own bloody self. Is that clear?" He drew closer, "I've had enough of these games. Kill us fair, or **_LEAVE US ALONE_**!"


	4. A Vulnerable Moment

**A/N: Oh dear. Look at this Doverai. We appear to have missed several long months of updates. I would get into why, but I'd only be whining. . Eh. I was grounded. Have been for a long time…I actually wrote this months ago. 0.0**

**I started watching Full-Metal Alchemist…so keep an eye out for a fanfic. –grin- Yeah, like I don't have enough. . I've also seen both Inuyasha movies. - My boyfriend bought me the second one. It was nifty. And my friend Michelle allowed me to borrow the other.**

**Uh…I won an essay contest for Teen Zone at my library and they redecorated my entire room, so now it's totally Oriental-themed. I'll have to put some pictures up on my website.**

**In other news…I watched Kenshin tonight (Finally! it's been –far– too long) and I feel inspired.**

Solace

_A Vulnerable Moment_

"_If we shadows have offended, think but this and all is mended._

_That you have but slumbered here…whilst these visions did appear…"_

_-Puck, A Midsummer Night's Dream_

"Sano!" The exhubarant cry that assaulted his ears made the fighter flinch. He was already busily engaged in an early hang-over. Not wanting to alarm his friends, Sano had decided to lie about everything. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately), Sano needed to be tipsy to really lie convincingly. "Where were you?" Asked the frenetic (albeit shrill) voice of a worried (and loud) Kaoru as she finally released her deathgrip of his waist.

Sanosuke paused for a moment to regain his breath, and then shrugged carelessly. "I went to a bar. Hung out with some 'ole friends, floored 'em with details of my lovely ex-charge, and got sort of drunk." 'I _am_ good at this' Sano decided, amused. Part lie, part flattery, part obvious truth; the story was convincing to even him.

"Oh." Kaoru replied in a much quieter tone. Sano knew she wasn't feeling any pity for the beginning of a hangover that was causing his skull to throb, but had decided not to make him suffer any more. He was grateful for her decision.

"Yeah." Sano was also not exactly in the most chatty mood he'd ever been in, either.

It got worse when his stomach began to roil. Kaoru caught the deathly pale pallour that his skin took on just in time to drag him to the bathroom.

For the next hour and a half, Sanosuke Sagara paid tribute to the porcelain god. When he was done, Sano found Kaoru waiting at the door. She helped him to bed, where she'd turned down the sheets and closed the drapes. The dark-haired young lady then helped Sano into bed, forced him to take a drink of water, and tucked him in.

Patting him fondly atop the head, she vacated the room and Sano was asleep in minutes.

An unexpected influence caused the fighter to awaken. The sounds of screaming, objects breaking, and cries of pain. He sat up, startled, and struggled from his sheets.

Stumbling to the door of his room, Sano yanked it open and readied himself for a fight.

No amount of steeling could have prepared him for what he saw.

Kaoru and Soujiro were hunched over, faces pale and eyes bleary. Kenshin was watching both with clenched teeth, his eyes hard and his fists balled tightly.

Staring from Kenshin's white knuckles to the look on Soujiro's face, Sano slumped against the door jamb as Kaoru shrieked in fury once again. Kenshin executed an x-x-triple-square-R1 move that Sano had never seen performed and his fighter went crazy, executing the two other characters.

"No fair!" Kaoru whined irritably, lunging to her feet and throwing her controller down, pitching a tantrum.

Soujiro laughed, placing his down and working his thumbs gingerly. "So goes the game – when one plays against someone like Kenshin, one is gonna lose."

"That one is." Kenshin laughed, turning his eyes toward Sano. "Tylenol and water in the kitchen."

Sano chuckled and rolled his eyes, drifting into the kitchen and one-upping Kenshin. Instead of Tylenol, he popped a few Ibuprofen and then downed water. This achieved, he reentered the room.

"You. Me. Mortal Kombat." Sano challanged Kenshin.

The swordsman quirked and eyebrow and smirked. "You wanna just pay up now?"

"Nope." Sano shot back, flopping to the ground and nabbing Kaoru's abandoned controller.

"Winner…?" Kenshin inquired as he tossed the container with Mortal Kombat to Soujiro, who popped it into the playstation.

"Buys dinner at the Akabeko tonight."

"How can you be hungry?" Kaoru wondered. Sano ignored her, as he was too busy involving himself in a playful insult-match with Kenshin over skills.

Either Sano had more skill with a controller than he cared to share, or Kenshin let him win…but somehow Kenshin found himself pouting as he was shoved out the door of the apartment.

"This bites." Kenshin mentioned off-handedly as he continued to pout, watching Sano drive and Kaoru pout next to him in the back seat. Soujiro appeared pityless.

Dinner was uneventful – they ate, Kenshin paid, conversation occurred. Nothing really ground-breaking occurred until they left the resturant.

In the middle of the trek back to the car, six black-clothed men seemed to materalize around the quartet. "You are freaking kidding me." Sano snarled, "Who sent you?"

"Nobuhiro, Watsuki." Replied a gravelly voice.

"Watsuki?" Kenshin replied, wide-eyed.

"Yes. He wishes for the liquidation of those who know too much. You, and your group top the list currently. Die."

With no more chatter, they were attacked.

Kaoru froze, trying to figure out what she wanted to do. Sano broke the nose of his attacker, Soujiro knocked his attacker out, and pulled his sword free. "Kenshin!" He called, tossing it to the barely-defending fighter.

Kenshin caught the blade, and moved to swing it…only to give a throaty shout of pain and drop the blade, clutching his arm to his chest and narrowly avoiding another strike. Startled, Soujiro dove into the fray and snatched up the abandoned blade, slashing at the two attacking Kenshin.

The sword took both across the chest and dropped them – not dead, only in some intense pain.

The final two attackers had Kaoru, her arms pinned. Usually she'd be fine with this. Kenshin would save her. But Kenshin was incapacitated and she was pissed off. It took her thirteen seconds to lay both men flat, where they were going to stay for a while.

"Kenshin?" Kaoru scampered to her fiance's side, reaching out. "What's wrong?"

"My arm." Kenshin hissed. "As soon as I got a grip on the sword, I felt blinding pain." He stared up at her, his eyes terrified. She didn't see that look much. "I cannot hold a sword. I think I may have damaged nerves during that…thing." Kaoru swallowed hard. She knew what this meant.

Kenshin was defenseless.

Feeling considerably less sure of themselves, the group returned to the apartment. The last thing that they expected upon entrance was to find Yahiko sitting in the living room, his head down and his wrists a frightening red.

Kenshin frowned, and nodded to his companions. "Go into your rooms. I'll handle this." The three nodded and did as was requested – Kaoru went into her room to go to bed, Soujiro sat playing his guitar quietly, and Sano watched television.

"What's on your mind, Yahiko?" Kenshin inquired, seating himself next to the distraught boy.

Yahiko looked up, his eyes dark. "It's my fault."

"What is?" Kenshin pressed gently.

"The men. I told Watsuki where you were going."

"How did you know?" Yahiko shook his head, obviously not wanting to answer that. Kenshin let it slide. "Well, it's not all that bad."

"I almost got you all killed! Kaoru and you both risked your lives to save me and I went and tried to get the whole group of you killed! I was supposed to live here and be safe but Watsuki found me and threatened my sister and I had nothing else to do so I just went along with it, said I was moving in with Megumi, and left you all. I didn't want to!"

"Sister?" Kenshin inquired sharply, latching on to that bit of information.

Yahiko dropped his head once more and nodded. "My sister Kashmir."

Kenshin frowned, "Where is she?"

"Watsuki has her prisoner, he said she's at Koshijirou Kamiya's mansion." Kenshin stiffened and sighed. He knew he should have finished that man off when he had the chance. The first miss had been a once-in-a-lifetime event.

"Then we'll get her back."

"You can't hold a sword." Came a quiet comment from behind Kenshin. He turned, frowning. Kaoru stood in her door-jamb, leaning against it tiredly. Obviously she'd been in bed listening.

"Go back to bed." Kenshin ordered sharply.

Kaoru gave him an icy glare and came to his side, shaking her head. "You can't. What are you going to do about that?"

Kenshin shrugged and held up his left hand. "I trained for a Wakizashi with this hand. It's not as powerful as a Katana and not as long and I'm not as good with it, but I can still out-do most of the men in Watsuki's employ."

"What are we talkin' about here?" Yahiko wondered cautiously.

"Heading in to rescue Kashmir, of course." Kaoru replied brightly.

"Why?" Yahiko whispered.

"Why not? She's your sister and you're our friend."

Yahiko stared at them for a long moment, and his eyes filled with tears. He scrubbed at them in vein, and Kenshin sat beside him, dropping his arm companionably across the young boy's shoulders. "Where did you get the bruises?" He inquired.

"Watsuki's men had me tied up 'cause I was coming here to warn you and they didn't want me to. But I got free and came…but I was too late."

"You thought six men could take us?" Sano wondered from his own door. "You gotta be kidding. When're we leavin', Kenshin?"

"Tommorrow evening. I need some time to work out the kinks in my left arm. Figure out what attacks I _can_ use with the Wakizashi."

"A Wakizashi can do more than you think, Mr. Himura." Soujiro mentioned from his door.

Kenshin rolled his eyes. "Why did you three even bother pretending to follow my orders?"

"We thought we'd let you feel better about yourself." Sano offered.

Kenshin grumbled to himself. When had he turned from the most feared man in the room to the man who everyone 'pretended' to listen to, so as to preserve his tender 'feelings'?

_**When you stopped being Battousai and started being a wuss.**_

_Shut up._

_**Very well.**_

Kenshin patted Yahiko atop the head, traversed to the linen closet in the bathroom, took a pillow from his bed, and dropped the pile of sheets with a pillow on top on Yahiko's lap. "You can use the couch for now, we'll find you a new arrangement once we rescue Kashmir."

"What about the bunk beds?" Soujiro wondered faintly.

"With all the stuff you've piled on there? It'd take all night to find the mattress. Let the kid sleep and then make him clear himself a space on the bed." Soujiro stuck his tongue out and vanished into his room to pout.

Sano laughed himself back behind his door, and Kaoru pecked Kenshin on the cheek and vanished from the room.

"I'll be up at six." Kenshin mentioned to Yahiko as he turned toward his room, "Then you can go sleep in my room – I need the livingroom." The boy nodded, eyes wide, and watched his hero vanish from sight.

The next morning, at exactly six in the morning, Kenshin exited his room and gently sent Yahiko packing. The boy grumbled into Kenshin's bed and was asleep in an instant. Kenshin closed the door and settled his Wakizashi against his right hip.

Feeling uncertain, he gripped the hilt. His left wrist patiently bent as ordered, and waited for what was next. Feeling silly for having thought both arm were useless, Kenshin whipped his sword from its sheath in a Battou-Jutsu.

That went well, and he swiftly moved into a simple warm-up form he'd created exclusively for his Wakizashi. Upon completion, Kenshin was pleased to find that thus far everything was going very well.

That all changed when he tried to use an attack. The usual 'Tsu-Ryu-Sen' was first, and to his shock it didn't happen. Flat-out did not. The blade moved, but the attack didn't wholly occur.

Disgusted, Kenshin tried a few more attacks, before desperately attempting a Ku-Zu-Ryu-Sen and Ammakakeru-Ryu-No-Hirameki. Both attacks failed miserably. Again, the blade moved – as did he – but the attack itself did not occur.

"Oh … crap." There was no more intelligent response than that. The attacks that Kenshin had grown comfortable with using had been created for someonethat was right-handed and wielding a Katana. Given that he couldn't grip a hilt with his dominant hand and was using a Wakizashi – which was smaller than the usual Katana – Kenshin had nothing to work with.

Frustrated, Kenshin moved to just slashing at the air, taking his anger out through brute strength, just hacking at nothingness.

"Your finesse is gone," Observed a faint voice. Startled, Kenshin turned to glare at Kaoru, obviously very grumpy. She smiled at him and strode forward, standing on her tip-toes to place a butterfly kiss on his cheek. "You're just swinging randomly. You look like me trying to attack someone with a broadsword."

"My attacks are not formatted for a Wakizashi. Nor are they created for a left-handed fighter."

"Ah." Kaoru tilted her head and quirked an eyebrow. "Can you change them?"

"The Hiten Mitsurugi style is hundreds of years old. I cannot just _change_ the attacks at whim! It took years for the attacks to be created in the first place!" Kenshin cried, aghast.

"True, years for them to be _created…_ but they're already created – right? So now you just need to edit them a bit."

"And how do you suggest I do that?" Kenshin snipped, obviously still stinging from the fact that he couldn't use his style properly.

"Well…" Kaoru offered thoughtfully, gnawing on her bottom lip. "Can't you just…reverse it? Just flip the order that you move the attack in, and either reach more or draw nearer to the person you're attacking to make up for the length difference?"

Kenshin smacked himself on the forehead with the palm of his right hand. "Ye gods and little duckies, you're right!" It was so obvious – it had been right in front of him the whole time. But he'd gotten frustrated and lost his cool and therefore had been blind to the simple answer that Kaoru presented to his worries.

"I'm sure the duckies appreciate it." Kaoru smiled and yawned. Without another word she meandered back into her room and after a few moments was in bed and asleep.

Kenshin stared at her door for a little while, before turning. It was going to require some speedy re-self-training, but perhaps he could perfect a few attacks in time for the evening.

Kaoru had seen many imposing buildings in her twenty years – but Koshijirou's mansion took the cake.

After all…she'd lived there for fourteen years of her life.

For some reason, Kaoru hadn't connected Koshijirou and his mansion to her childhood, but standing with the group of people she'd come to trust implicitly Kaoru found herself facing the memories of a rather terrifying chapter in her childhood.

"You okay?" Kenshin murmured, his hand fluttering across her elbow for a moment. Kaoru nodded swiftly and forced a smile.

She wasn't going to let Koshijirou hurt her any more.

Kaoru could feel a presence in the back of her mind, but didn't know who it was. Rain…Rumor…Akuma…Kurei…none of them were particularly pleasing prospects. Rain was only a little child, Rumor was too … well, there was no description for her. And to top it all off, Akuma and Kurei were both blood-thirsty fiends who'd sooner kill Kenshin than marry him.

With these facts in mind, Kaoru firmly kept as much control as possible over herself and her others. She'd progressed relatively far in America – until Crystal's murder.

"Let's try to avoid slaughter." Kenshin murmured hopefully. Kaoru knew that he didn't want to risk letting Battousai out – which was a distinct possibility, the fact that he had one violet and one golden eye sung out the fact that Battousai was closer to the surface than anyone wanted to admit.

Kenshin's mini-temper-tantrum that morning proved that fact.

"Good plan." Sano agreed.

"Get in, get Kashmir, get out." Soujirou agreed. "Where did Yahiko say she was?"

"He didn't, really."

"She's probably in the basement." Kaoru muttered. Surprised glances were shot her way. "Fath- ahem - Koshijirou locked me in there sometimes. There are spiders and rats and funky things that go bump in the night. There are no windows, the bulb is broken, and there's a cot down there. Only one way in and one way out. It can only be locked and unlocked from the outside. It's an ideal place to keep a prisoner."

Frowns were sent her way – meant for Koshijirou.

But no one mentioned the fact, since Kaoru's knowledge was going to make the trek easier.

Through the side door (the same one Kenshin had used to glean Kaoru), down that hall, to the left, to the right, right, right, left, right, left, left, left, right, end of the hall.

Readying themselves for the labyrinth that was Koshijirou's mansion, the group entered with their collective weapons at ready.

The group reached the basement door in fifteen minutes flat. As soon as the four realized that they were at the end of the trek, they also knew that they'd been outsmarted.

It had been far too easy – Koshijirou had sent out more guards for the staged kidnapping than for his current prisoner.

Soujirou picked the lock, and Kaoru pushed the door open. "Kashmir?" The last thing that anyone expected was a response.

"Yes?"

"Are you a prisoner here?"

"Yes'm, I am."

"Would you like some help out?"

"I most certainly would, if it's not too much trouble." A girl appeared from the darkness, trundling up the stairs. She was thin – not stick-thin, but healthy looking. Her skin was olive-coloured, and her hair fell several inches past her shoulders in a straight black curtain. Her eyes were a mix between light green and brown, and she had a friendly smile on her face.

The ludicrous conversation continued – "I'm Kaoru Agarais, this is Kenshin Himura, that's Soujirou Seta, and Sanosuke Sagara is over there."

"I'm Kashmir Miyoujin." She shrugged, obviously completely content to wait for their next move.

The definition of placidity: Kashmir.

The foursome began to lead their new company away from the dark basement when the guards arrived.

As they had suspected – Watsuki had known they'd come for Kashmir.

Kenshin stepped forward to meet the first attacker, sweeping up with his sword to cut away his gun and punching him across the jaw. The guy dropped like a sack of potatoes.

Sanosuke took out three with a powerful left hook, right hook, left elbow combination. And to her own surprise, Kaoru took out two with two spinning snap-kicks. Soujirou brought down two of his own with his Wakizashi.

Kashmir didn't take any down, she was content to serenely watch.

"You want to help?" Kaoru inquired as she panted, flipping the man who'd had her in a choke-hold and kicking him across the temple to knock him out.

"I'm a pacifist. I don't fight." Kashmir replied and shrugged with a smile. Kaoru blinked at her, shrugged, and continued to wildly throw herself around.

Kenshin passed by his fiance every once and a while, making sure she was alive and uninjured.

Very swiftly, they were taking out the guards that had attacked. It took almost ten minutes, but the quartet brought down the sixteen men – only four of them at been carrying guns and had been taken down first. The other twelve stood no chance.

Kaoru grabbed Kashmir and yanked her behind them down the hall.

The five reached the door, burst through, and realized that they were free. Before joy could register, pain did.

Kaoru hissed, staring at her stomach. A dart.

Her eyes blurry, she stared up at Kenshin. He, too, had a dart. He hurried to her side, however, and caught her as her knees collasped. Kaoru tried to speak, but slurred. Kenshin set her down gently, and turned to glare at someone.

Kaoru couldn't see who it was, but she saw Kenshin jerk back as if another dart had hit him. Soujiro was beside her, his face ashen and slack. Sano was on his knees, two darts in his stomach. Kashmir was to her other side, a dart in the juncture of her throat and shoulder – the place that would spread the agent in the dart to the recipient's brain in the most speedy manner.

Kaoru numbly watched Kenshin sway and fall after a third dart. Sano dropped as well – after his fourth dosing. Everything was getting confusing. Dim. Lost. Dark. Falling.

Blackness.

"That's what we get for being compassionate." The angry mutterings of one angry Kenshin awoke Kaoru.

"Well, it's your fault. _I_ didn't want to." He replied to himself. Kaoru dimly realized that he was arguing with Battousai.

"Lies! You said it would be fun."

"You didn't even use your sword!"

"I did too!"

"Once! To cut a weapon! No fun!"

"I don't want to hurt people!"

"Well, I do. And my needs and wants should be met."

"They were for about twenty years. I think it's my turn."

"You had your chance – you gave in to me."

"I was eight!"

"So? I want control."

"To do what? Alienate everyone? Hurt my fiance and make her flinch from me again? No thank you."

"But I want control." Battousai snipped plaintively.

"I _have_ control, so you have to wait."

"You'll pay." Muttered a dark voice. After a second, Kenshin rose and traveled to Kaoru's side.

"Are you all right?" Inquired Kenshin's warm, concerned voice.

Kaoru yawned, still out-of-sorts. "Else?" Was all she could manage.

"Soujiro woke up but got bored and is now sleeping, Sano is still trying to shake the effects – he hasn't awoken yet, Kashmir is still asleep."

"You first? Me two?"

"Yes, I woke up first, but Soujirou woke up after me – remember? You're number three."

"Ah." Kaoru tried to roll over but couldn't quite achieve it, so she settled for mumbling to herself and closing her eyes.

Kenshin lifted her head, sat down, and placed her head on his lap. He patted her cheek, and then began to stroke her hair soothingly. Kaoru fell asleep in an instant, comfortable.

When Kaoru finally came to once more, she was pressed against a wall. When she glanced up, Kenshin's familiar crimson hair brushed against her cheeks. "Ken-?"

"Shhh." He cut her off sharply, and she fell silent with a confused noise. Kenshin reached back, patting her arm comfortingly and apologetically. His posture was stiff, defensive. Kaoru felt her heart rate beginning to speed up.

"Outta the way." Snarled a male voice that she didn't recognize. "We knocked yer out the first time'n we c'n do it 'gain."

"Not unless you have a different solution. Anyone with research skills knows that I build immunities far more swiftly than any other normal person." Dead silence. Obviously the man was feeling one-upped.

Kaoru peered through a convinient seperation between Kenshin's arm and torso – remembering when Shishio had attacked. Three men were standing in the doorway, armed to the teeth with their weapons out and trained.

Obviously they were not to kill – they'd have just shot Kenshin and been done with it. The guns were for self-defense.

Kaoru frowned – did Koshijirou want something? It only made sense – perhaps he was going to try to force her to give him her inheritence.

Well, gosh. She had nothing better to do with it. He could have it.

"One to the knee-cap should take you to the ground for a bit." Threatened the leader. Kaoru gnawed on her lower lip.

"Try it and-" Kaoru cut Kenshin off by gently tugging on his arm. He turned his attention to her.

"I'll go." She murmured, knowing that they obviously wanted her. Kenshin frowned. "He probably wants the money – he can have it."

"What about you?"

"I don't need money. And you have enough to let us live a middle-class lifestyle. Why do I need anything else?"

"What about our family?"

"Soujiro and Sano can deal."

"Not them. Any other family we may glean."

"But…oh." Kaoru shook her head, "We can't have children if we're dead." She pushed free of Kenshin and slipped by him, striding to the men in the doorway.

They glanced at her and Kenshin suspiciously, before seperating and letting her through. "Study?" She inquired. At a sharp nod, she began her trek to the study. Her memory of navigation in the house was returning speedily.

"Don't…" Kenshin pleaded faintly behind her, "Don't let him win." The door slammed and cut him off. But Kaoru knew that if at any instant he thought she needed him, he'd be out in an instant. Kenshin was letting them consider him a prisoner on a whim, to keep the others safe.

Now that she thought about it, only she and Kenshin had been in that room. Where had Sano, Soujirou, and Kashmir gotten to?

It turned out that she didn't have much time to worry about it – the door of the study loomed open before her. Stepping into the room, Kaoru was assaulted by dark mahogany, maple, oak, and birch everywhere she looked. Mahogany floors, maple panelling on the walls, a large oak desk, and the rest of the room decorated by multiple birch creations. The only non-wooden thing in the room beyond herself, Koshijrou, and his guards were the three black leather chairs.

Seated in the largest chair, behind the desk, Kaoru saw the man she'd called 'father' for so many years. She felt the world tilt, but tenaciously refused to show fear. She crossed her arms and stared him down, eyes cold and mouth pressed into a thin line.

Koshijirou quirked an eyebrow and waved to a chair. "Have a seat, Kaoru." She did as he said with defiant slowness, settling herself comfortably and then leveling her azure eyes in a cold glare. "Oh, why the dislike my darling?"

Kaoru blinked, shocked. He dared to ask? After a moment, Koshijirou snickered at her expression. "All right. Fine. I get that. But you still don't have to be so cold."

"…" Kaoru still didn't have a response.

"Fine. Pleasantries aside, sign this and I'll release you all." Kaoru accepted the document and pen. She lifted it up and began to read, gnawing on the pen.

After a moment, she began to cross out words, and then sentances, and then paragraphs.

"What are you doing?" Koshijirou snarled.

"Rumor is telling me that she doesn't like what this says. I don't argue with Rumor."

"…Rumor…?" Kaoru didn't reply, finishing the document and continuing to gnaw on the pen. And then she reached to sign it. Koshijirou leaned forward eagerly.

Kaoru pressed the pen down to sign away her inheritance, and froze.

"_Stupid." Akuma snarled, "What's wrong with you?"_

"_What?" Kaoru inquired, shocked. She'd been sitting, with a pen…and was now floating in some sort of black void with no pen._

"_You're going to sign away our last memory of mother and father so you can walk away from Koshijirou without a fight?"_

"_Yes. Sounds like what I was planning."_

"_I won't stand for it!" Snapped a new voice. Kaoru turned her eyes from Akuma to stare at the red-eyed version of herself. Kurei._

"_You can't stop me."_

"_Technically, they can." Rumor offered absently, gnawing on her nails. Kaoru blinked and frowned._

"_They can not!"_

"_Yes. We can. Silly." Giggled Rain. Kaoru had the funny realization that she was somewhat insane. But the feeling of uneasiness passed in a moment. So what? The others were there to protect her, and Kaoru would take that where she could get it._

"_I just want to sign it and leave!"_

"_Did you not listen to the ninja-things last night?" Akuma hissed, advancing on Kaoru. She tried to back up, but couldn't figure out how to manuever in the void. "Nobuhiro wants you dead – signing the paper just makes the job easier. He's going to kill your brother, your lover, and the friend. And that girl you saved."_

"_He's not my lover." Kaoru muttered defensively as she blushed. Coughing, she continued, "And maybe-"_

"_No." Rumor snapped, "Akuma is right. And if you don't promise not to sign, we're going to lock you here and one of us is going to take control._

"_No." Kaoru pleaded faintly. She didn't want to be locked alone in the darkness of the void. Even with others it was a terrifying place. She teetered unsteadily, as if she were going to fall from her existance, just fade away. She did very much want to_ not_ fade away._

"_Well, then don't sign."_

"_But I want-"_

"_What about what we want, Kaoru?" Akuma inquired, her voice gentler. "We're here, too. Don't we get a say? There are more than one of you, and we all have our own selves. Rain, Rumor, Kurei, and myself…all four of us want you to refuse to sign. If need be, Kurei or I will fight you free. But it's a four-to-one vote and majority rules._

"_But…" Kaoru paused, "Doesn't my vote count for more, since I'm the primary persona?"_

"_Nope." Rumor replied, "How do you know that _you_ are the primary? What if Rain was, until she was eight, and then _you_ took over and she was trapped in here with a child's mentality?"_

_Kaoru felt a chill rush along her spine. Kurei drifted closer, with a smile that was more terrifying that reassuring. "You are the primary. But you're not the only one here, Kaoru. We want our say to mean something now. We're tired of just being convinient."_

"_So…you really feel strongly, don't you?" Kaoru sighed, giving in. Receiving four identical nods, Kaoru conceded to her 'sisters'. "Very well. I promise not to sign."_

"Kaoru?" Koshijirou inquired sharply. Kaoru dropped the pen and lunged to her feet.

"Sorry, Kosh. Majority rules – looks like I'm keeping my inheritance."

Rage purpled Koshijirou's face. Kaoru felt someone swing at her, and then everything went black.

The man gave a shout of pain, dropping to the ground and clutching his broken wrist. "Do not hit me." Kurei mocked with a faint giggle. "I do not like it." She kicked him, and turned to intercept another attack, swiftly breaking the man's jaw and dropping him.

"Kaoru-"

"You're not very good at this, are you old man?" Kurei laughed, "I'm Kurei. Perhaps you haven't met me…no, you haven't. But I feel like I know you. And I owe you something." She lunged for him.

"_NO!" Kaoru screamed in the void. Rumor rubbed her left ear._

"_What?"_

"_Don't let her!" Kaoru pleaded. She didn't like watching her body move, seeing through her eyes but having no control. "Don't let her hurt him!"_

"_Why not? We all want him dead."_

"_He's my father!"_

"_No he isn't, Kaoru, and you know it."_

"_But he raised-"_

"_Sanosuke Sagara practically raised you. Not him." Kaoru groaned in pitiable defeat. She wanted the blissful unconciousness that usually came with a switch – not what she was experiencing._

"_Don't?" Rumor reached out and patted her shoulder. _

"_Relax, darling. She won't kill him." A pause, "I think."_

A right hook, an uppercut, and a round-house kick followed by a haymaker elbow-strike to the jaw.

Koshijirou was not happy, and not concious. Kurei revelled for a moment in the spilled blood before turning and heading away, down the hall. Following her instincts, she found a door with the sounds of people behind it.

Unlocking it, she pulled the door open and saw Kaoru's – her? Older brother, Sanosuke, and some girl. Carelessly, she left the door and moved on to the next, unlocking it and releasing Kenshin.

"Did you sign it?" He inquired sharply, grabbing her arms. Kurei slipped free smoothly.

"No, Kaoru did not sign it. We had a talk with her." Kenshin blinked, and peered at her eyes for a moment.

No recognition lit his face. "You are…?"

"Kurei. I believe we met for a moment."

"Oh. Is Kaoru available?"

"Not right now. I like this freedom. Let's go." She turned and strode confidently down the halls. The group followed, confused but trusting.

Kurei led them out of the house with no incident, smoothly avoiding any guards that may have been walking by. Kenshin was reminded of his first venture into Kamiya mansion.

"We live here?" Kurei wondered, poking the walls. She'd been fascinated by everything on the drive home, and at the apartment apparently found the textures incredibly fun.

Kenshin nodded, and pointed. "Bathroom's over there. You have blood on you, might want to wash up. Before Kaoru comes back."

Kurei smiled and vanished into the room.

Kenshin flopped onto the couch, groaning. Kashmir watched everyone silently. Yahiko appeared quite suddenly at the door of Kenshin's room.

He stared around nervously, until his eyes locked onto Kashmir. He lit up like a candle, sprinting to his sister and tackling her in a hug.

Kenshin smiled at the display. He sort of liked 'helping' people. It was better than slaying them. Most people didn't grin when they were about to be murdered. And the few that did…well, Kenshin tried not to think about them.

"I don't like her." Sano offered, also flopping into a random seat. Soujiro nodded silent agreement, sitting as well.

The group sat in silence for a while, watching Yahiko chatter with Kashmir, who was as animated as him suddenly.

Kurei reappeared silently, drifting to a wall and leaning against it silently. She had Kaoru's hair pulled into a high bun now, obviously not liking the feel of hair on her throat or shoulders.

Kenshin thought the hairstyle looked nice. Of course, he said nothing.

Kurei frowned after a moment, tilting her head.

"What's wrong?" Sanosuke asked.

Kenshin already knew. He got to his feet, drifting into his bedroom and reappearing with his Katana in a left-handed grip. It was awkward, but would do for threatening. Hand-to-hand would do the rest, considering his speed.

"Someone is outside of the door."

The group tensed, Yahiko and Kashmir moving furthur from the closed wooden menace.

A few moments of dead silence followed.

At long last, a strong but cautious knock filled the apartment. The six blinked in confusion – an attacker knocking?

Kenshin leaned his sword against the wall and smoothly strolled to the door, hesitating and then pulling it open.

When the group realized exactly who they were faced with, dead silence filled the room as twelve stunned eyes stared at the visitor.

**A/N:**

**And alas…a cliffhanger.**

**But this was eighteen pages long – c'mon, I really ran myself through the wringer to get a reasonable amount out to make up somewhat for my absence. Although the final chapter of "Chasing Methusulah" (So my spelling…sucks) is about eighty one pages long…since this isn't the final chapter, I don't think I need to worry 'bout that. - Yet. We'll see.**

**Again, I apologize for the wait.**

**Okay then, thank you all very much for reading – and to everyone who has reviewed: I owe you a _huge_ thank you for all of your sweet words (mostly) and dedication to this series.**

**It's really not that good, so I'm pleased to know that some people find it amusing. If it makes me laugh, I consider it a success. If it makes someone else laugh, I consider it a work of art.**

_**Farethewell, have lots of fun, and dance until the night is done.**_

**With a little bit of Love and a lot of Angst,**

**Doverai**


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